EP0934909B1 - Verfahren zum kontinuierlichen Ziehen von Vorformen für die Herstellung optischer Fasern - Google Patents

Verfahren zum kontinuierlichen Ziehen von Vorformen für die Herstellung optischer Fasern Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0934909B1
EP0934909B1 EP99400214A EP99400214A EP0934909B1 EP 0934909 B1 EP0934909 B1 EP 0934909B1 EP 99400214 A EP99400214 A EP 99400214A EP 99400214 A EP99400214 A EP 99400214A EP 0934909 B1 EP0934909 B1 EP 0934909B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
preforms
fiber
preform
axis
laser
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP99400214A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0934909A1 (de
Inventor
Pascal Mazabraud
Abderrahman Alami Noureddine
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Alcatel CIT SA
Alcatel Lucent SAS
Original Assignee
Alcatel CIT SA
Alcatel SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Alcatel CIT SA, Alcatel SA filed Critical Alcatel CIT SA
Publication of EP0934909A1 publication Critical patent/EP0934909A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0934909B1 publication Critical patent/EP0934909B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
    • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
    • C03B37/00—Manufacture or treatment of flakes, fibres, or filaments from softened glass, minerals, or slags
    • C03B37/01—Manufacture of glass fibres or filaments
    • C03B37/02—Manufacture of glass fibres or filaments by drawing or extruding, e.g. direct drawing of molten glass from nozzles; Cooling fins therefor
    • C03B37/025—Manufacture of glass fibres or filaments by drawing or extruding, e.g. direct drawing of molten glass from nozzles; Cooling fins therefor from reheated softened tubes, rods, fibres or filaments, e.g. drawing fibres from preforms
    • C03B37/027—Fibres composed of different sorts of glass, e.g. glass optical fibres
    • C03B37/02736—Means for supporting, rotating or feeding the tubes, rods, fibres or filaments to be drawn, e.g. fibre draw towers, preform alignment, butt-joining preforms or dummy parts during feeding
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
    • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
    • C03B37/00—Manufacture or treatment of flakes, fibres, or filaments from softened glass, minerals, or slags
    • C03B37/075—Manufacture of non-optical fibres or filaments consisting of different sorts of glass or characterised by shape, e.g. undulated fibres

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a continuous fiber drawing process for preforms for the manufacture of an optical fiber, in which moves along a fiberizing axis a first preform which is fiber optic stretching through a fiber-drawing oven arranged in the axis fiberizing, and we move along the fiberizing axis a second preform which is welded end to end with the first preform to be stretched in optical fiber following the first preform.
  • the preforms are in the form of heart stems intended for be recharged during their movement along the fiber axis before being stretched into optical fiber. Butt welding of the two core rods is made in a soldering station which is fixed with respect to the fiber-drawing axis and which comprises an oven or a torch annular as a heat source necessary for welding by fusion of the two ends of the preforms in contact with each other.
  • the two heart rods are driven in displacement along the axis of fibering by rollers at the same speed of the order of 8 millimeters per minute.
  • the displacement of the two preforms to a certain speed through the stationary soldering station is responsible for a heating of the preforms upstream and downstream of the two ends at solder.
  • This excess heat propagates in the axial direction preforms and further helps to expand the area affected by the welding.
  • this area gives birth to an optical fiber which often has attenuation parameters degraded and must be subtracted from the production of the process of fiberizing.
  • the object of the invention is a fiberizing process which overcomes the disadvantages described above.
  • the idea behind the invention is to weld the two preforms using a non-polluting and moving heat source along the fiber axis.
  • the invention relates to a fiber-drawing process in continuous preforms for the manufacture of an optical fiber, in which one moves along a fiberizing axis a first preform which is stretched in optical fiber through a fiber-drawing oven arranged in the fiberizing axis, and one moves along the fiberizing axis a second preform which is welded end to end with the first preform to be stretched in optical fiber after the first preform, characterized in that the butt welding of the two preforms is achieved by moving a next power laser the fiber-drawing axis and by controlling its displacement to that of the two preforms to maintain a laser beam emitted by the laser of power, at the same height as the two ends to be welded.
  • the laser beam is kept at the same height as the two ends of the preforms to be welded so that upstream and downstream of the weld zone, the lateral surface of the two preforms is not not exposed to the laser, and therefore is not polluted.
  • a continuous fiberizing process of preforms for the manufacturing of an optical fiber is implemented, single figure, using a preform descent machine 1 to move in translation along a fiber-drawing axis L a first preform 3 fixed in a mandrel 5 secured to a first movable carriage 7 following the fiber axis.
  • the first preform 3 is lowered by the first carriage 7 through a fiber-drawing oven 9 arranged in the fiber-drawing axis L to be heated and drawn into an optical fiber 11 received by a take-up reel not shown.
  • a second preform 13 is moved in following translation the fiber-drawing axis L using the preform descent machine 1 in being fixed by a mandrel 15 secured to a second carriage 17 mobile along the fiber-drawing axis.
  • the movement of the two carriages 7 and 17 in the direction of fibering indicated by the arrow f in the figure, is carried out at the same translation speed V.
  • the installation of the second preform 13 in the preform lowering machine 1 and the tightening of the mandrel 15 of the second carriage 17 are made in such a way that the two preforms 3 and 13 are first separated from each other then arranged end to end, the contact faces being carefully polished.
  • the second preform 13 is welded end to end to the first preform 3 and is moved in translation along the fiber drawing axis by the second carriage 17 to be heated in the fiber-drawing oven and stretched in optical fiber following the first preform.
  • the mandrel 5 of the first carriage 7 is open to allow it to be offset from the axis of fiberizing L and being moved by the preform descent machine 1 in the opposite direction to the fiber drawing indicated by the arrow r in the figure.
  • This first carriage is replaced in the fiber-drawing axis occupying the initial position of the second carriage 17 to allow setting place of a third preform placed end to end with the second preform and thus ensure continuous fiberizing of preforms.
  • the butt welding of the two preforms 3 and 13 is produced by moving a power laser 19 along the axis of fiberizing L and by controlling its displacement to that of the two preforms to maintain a laser beam at the same height as the two ends 3A and 13A to be welded.
  • a power laser 19 is guided in displacement parallel to the fiber drawing axis L by a guide rod 21 integral of the preform descent machine 1.
  • the power laser 19 is moved in the fiber-drawing direction f using a conventional mechanism, and is slaved to the movement of the two preforms along the preform lowering machine 1 for maintaining a laser beam 23 at the same height as the two ends 3A and 13A of the preforms at solder. Controlling the movement of the power laser 19 moving the two preforms reduces the area affected by welding.
  • the energy provided by the laser is focused on the two ends 3A and 13A of the preforms to be welded so that the lateral surface of the two preforms, upstream and downstream of the weld zone, is not exposed to the beam and is therefore not polluted.
  • the laser of power 19 is switched off and moved by the classic mechanism previous in the opposite direction to fiber drawing, for example so simultaneous with the first carriage 7, to occupy a position initial at the same height as the two ends in contact with the second preform and the third preform installed in the preform lowering machine to replace the first preform.
  • three power lasers are arranged in a plane perpendicular to the fiber axis by being distributed around this fiber axis at 120 degrees from each other. They move together parallel to the fiber-drawing axis and their movement is controlled by that of the two preforms to maintain three laser beams at the same height as the two ends in contact of the two preforms to be welded.
  • the fusion of the two ends to be welded is achieved quickly and in a way homogeneous in the weld plane.
  • the power laser is moved in alternating rotation around the axis fiberizing L at the same time as it is moved in translation parallel to this fiber axis.
  • a flat support is arranged perpendicular to the axis of fiber drawing and is guided in translation parallel to the fiber drawing axis by a guide rod, a central opening allowing passage preforms through this planar support.
  • the power laser is rotatably mounted on the planar support by describing a circle around the fiber-drawing axis, the laser beam being directed on the two ends of the two preforms to solder.
  • the translational movement of the planar support is subject to displacement of the two preforms so that the laser beam is kept at the same height as the two ends of the preforms at solder.
  • the rotational movement of the power laser is chosen in function of a number of alternating turns sufficient to carry the two fusion ends and weld the two preforms during their lowering by the preform lowering machine.
  • the heat necessary for the fusion of the two ends in contact of the two preforms is brought continuously to the periphery of the two tips which allow a fast and homogeneous fusion with a single laser power.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Laser Beam Processing (AREA)
  • Manufacture, Treatment Of Glass Fibers (AREA)

Claims (3)

  1. Verfahren zum kontinuierlichen Ziehen von Vorformen für die Herstellung einer optischen Faser, bei dem entlang einer Ziehachse (L) eine erste Vorform (3) bewegt wird, die durch einen auf der Ziehachse angeordneten Ziehofen (9) hindurch zu einer optischen Faser (11) ausgezogen wird, und entlang der Ziehachse eine zweite Vorform (13) bewegt wird, die mit der ersten Vorform (3) stumpf verschweißt wird, um nach der ersten Vorform (3) zu einer optischen Faser (11) ausgezogen zu werden, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die stumpfe Verschweißung der zwei Vorformen unter Bewegung wenigstens eines Hochleistungslasers (19) entlang der Ziehachse (L) erfolgt, wobei dessen Bewegung auf die der zwei Vorformen (3, 13) abgestimmt wird, um einen von dem Hochleistungslaser abgegebenen Laserstrahl (23) auf einer gleichen Höhe wie die zwei zu verschweißenden Enden (3A, 13A) zu halten.
  2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, bei dem die stumpfe Verschweißung der zwei Vorformen unter Bewegung des Hochleistungslasers gleichzeitig in Translation entlang der Ziehachse und in Rotation um diese Ziehachse erfolgt.
  3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, bei dem die stumpfe Verschweißung der zwei Vorformen unter Bewegung von mehreren in einer zu der Ziehachse senkrechten Ebene angeordneten und um diese Achse verteilten Hochleistungslasern entlang der Ziehachse erfolgt, wobei deren gemeinsame Bewegung auf die der zwei Vorformen abgestimmt wird, um einen von jedem Hochleistungslaser abgegebenen Laserstrahl auf einer gleichen Höhe wie die zwei zu verschweißenden Enden zu halten.
EP99400214A 1998-02-05 1999-02-01 Verfahren zum kontinuierlichen Ziehen von Vorformen für die Herstellung optischer Fasern Expired - Lifetime EP0934909B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR9801336A FR2774372B1 (fr) 1998-02-05 1998-02-05 Procede de fibrage en continu de preformes pour la fabrication de fibres optiques
FR9801336 1998-02-05

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0934909A1 EP0934909A1 (de) 1999-08-11
EP0934909B1 true EP0934909B1 (de) 2001-04-25

Family

ID=9522621

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99400214A Expired - Lifetime EP0934909B1 (de) 1998-02-05 1999-02-01 Verfahren zum kontinuierlichen Ziehen von Vorformen für die Herstellung optischer Fasern

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (1) US6098429A (de)
EP (1) EP0934909B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH11292560A (de)
KR (1) KR19990072430A (de)
CN (1) CN1147441C (de)
BR (1) BR9900535A (de)
DE (1) DE69900086T2 (de)
DK (1) DK0934909T3 (de)
FR (1) FR2774372B1 (de)

Families Citing this family (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19963867C1 (de) * 1999-12-30 2001-06-13 Schott Glas Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Wiederaufschmelzen von Glasstäben
AU2001247240A1 (en) * 2000-03-01 2001-09-12 Heraeus Amersil, Inc. Method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for determining an amount of energy needed to bring a quartz workpiece to a fusion weldable condition
KR100505940B1 (ko) * 2001-03-21 2005-08-05 광주과학기술원 광섬유 모재의 접합을 이용한 플라스틱 광섬유 연속 인출장치 및 방법
US6836602B2 (en) 2001-10-26 2004-12-28 Corning Incorporated Direct bonding of optical components
US20030164006A1 (en) * 2001-10-26 2003-09-04 Buchanan Karl H. Direct bonding of glass articles for drawing
US20030079503A1 (en) * 2001-10-26 2003-05-01 Cook Glen B. Direct bonding of glass articles for drawing
US20030081906A1 (en) * 2001-10-26 2003-05-01 Filhaber John F. Direct bonding of optical components
US20030188553A1 (en) * 2002-04-08 2003-10-09 Mann Larry G. Direct bonding methods using lithium
US6950235B2 (en) * 2002-05-02 2005-09-27 Corning Incorporated Optical isolators and methods of manufacture
US6791748B2 (en) 2002-05-02 2004-09-14 Corning Incorporated Optical isolators and methods of manufacture
US20030230113A1 (en) * 2002-06-12 2003-12-18 Patrick Gedeon Methods for manufacturing glass articles
US20040187525A1 (en) * 2003-03-31 2004-09-30 Coffey Calvin T. Method and apparatus for making soot
US20050223748A1 (en) * 2004-03-30 2005-10-13 Ames Donald J Method of joining optical fiber preforms and apparatus therefor
US20080193090A1 (en) * 2004-05-24 2008-08-14 Kevin Riddett Process and Apparatus for Manufacturing an Optical Cable
JP2007039260A (ja) * 2005-08-01 2007-02-15 Canon Inc 延伸ガラス部材の製造方法、スペーサの製造方法、及び画像表示装置の製造方法
DE102005044947B4 (de) * 2005-09-20 2007-10-04 Heraeus Tenevo Gmbh Schweißverfahren zum Verbinden von Bauteilen aus hochkieselsäurehaltigem Werkstoff, sowie Vorrichtung zur Durchführung des Verfahrens
DE102006033603B3 (de) * 2006-07-18 2007-07-05 Heraeus Tenevo Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung eines optischen Bauteils aus Quarzglas
FR2914297B1 (fr) 2007-03-27 2009-05-08 Draka Comteq France Procede de fabrication d'une preforme de fibre optique.
JP6824156B2 (ja) * 2014-08-13 2021-02-03 ヘレーウス クオーツ ノース アメリカ エルエルシーＨｅｒａｅｕｓ Ｑｕａｒｔｚ Ｎｏｒｔｈ Ａｍｅｒｉｃａ ＬＬＣ 石英ガラス製品及び石英ガラス光学部材の形成方法
CN112521000B (zh) * 2018-07-26 2022-06-10 杭州富通通信技术股份有限公司 用于光纤预制棒与辅助棒的熔接装置

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DE151925C (de) *
US3114621A (en) * 1957-04-09 1963-12-17 Kiraly Tibor Apparatus for cutting off lengths of glass tubing
US3384567A (en) * 1965-10-22 1968-05-21 Gen Electric Electrolyte guide member
DE2932196A1 (de) * 1979-08-08 1981-02-26 Siemens Ag Verfahren zum ziehen von lichtleitfasern
FR2487811B1 (fr) * 1980-07-31 1985-07-26 France Etat Procede et installation de fabrication de fibres optiques en continu
JPH09202639A (ja) * 1995-11-20 1997-08-05 Kobe Steel Ltd 光ファイバ母材の連続送り装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2774372A1 (fr) 1999-08-06
US6098429A (en) 2000-08-08
EP0934909A1 (de) 1999-08-11
KR19990072430A (ko) 1999-09-27
BR9900535A (pt) 2000-04-25
CN1147441C (zh) 2004-04-28
DK0934909T3 (da) 2001-08-13
DE69900086T2 (de) 2001-11-15
DE69900086D1 (de) 2001-05-31
JPH11292560A (ja) 1999-10-26
FR2774372B1 (fr) 2000-03-03
CN1241541A (zh) 2000-01-19

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